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In Defence of Political Prisoners & Against Executions in Iran – International Campaign

January 13, 2011

In Defence of Political Prisoners & Against Executions in Iran – International Campaign

Over the last three weeks alone the Islamic Republic of Iran has executed more than 50 people; among them several political prisoners.

Dozens of political prisoners have been sentenced to death; their execution imminent – like Jafar Kazemi and Zahra Bahrami. Many have been given hefty sentences – like lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and is banned from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years.

Executions and repression have always been distinctive features of the Islamic regime in Iran; indeed they have been its most cherished tools of survival over the last 32 years.

It is no coincidence that with the ongoing and ever increasing pressure from the Iranian people against the regime, repression and executions of political prisoners, activists and the general public have been intensified.

No doubt, this carnage has only one aim: to terrorize and silence the people of Iran, to ensure the regime’s survival.

This wave of executions and repression is going to continue – unless we stop it.

In this atmosphere of terror, powerful urgent action at the international level to defend political prisoners and to prevent further executions is crucial. We have seen in the past that international attention and protests freed political prisoners and stopped executions.

Thus we are asking you to join the International Campaign in Defence of Political Prisoners and Against Executions in Iran.

Executions in Iran must stop! Political Prisoners must be released and their sentences revoked!

Join us and call for action on Saturday, 29 January 2011, a Day of International Protest. Please mark the day within your organisations, with your friends and colleagues. It could be a gathering, a protest, a letter, a march, a song or other things.

Please also take a moment to sign the declaration of support which can be found at
http://stopstonningnow.com/united/unite600.php?nr=22774802〈=en
and is currently available in English, Spanish, French, German, Farsi, Italian, and Dutch.

Dozens of Iranian opposition groups, organisations and individuals from across the globe have already joined the campaign and called for action on 29 January – we hope you will too.

International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning